Sign



J. FODOR Dec. 13, 1938.

SIGN

Filed Aug. 18, 1936 Mme-mm? A tam 5m Patented 13, 1938 I I i Y 2.13am; t

., smut I j- Joseph Fodonjiondon, England Application August 1a, 1935, Serial No.; 96,703 In Great Britain August 21', 1935 5 Clairn's. (onto-13o) This invention relates to apparatus comprising luminous electric discharge tubes which have either internal'or external electrodes, the tubes be brought together so that the conductors of' one areielectrcstatically or galvanically coupled to the conductors ofthe other, whereby the tube 20 is fed from the high frequency current.

' According to one'form'of the inventionseveral structures are provided,the conductors of which are arranged to feed current to different luminous tubes; and these structures are arranged to be 25 brought together alternatively or simultaneously with a single structure having conductors connected to a high frequency source and in such a manner that the conductors thereof become electrostatically or galvanically coupled with'the con- 30 ductors connected'to the high frequency source.

- Afeature of the invention is that'each. luminous tube forms a part of the structure which comprises theconductors from which it is fed. A

base, which is preferably of insulating-material.

35 supports'the tube and carries those conductors which are coupled or connected with the conductors connected to the high frequency source.

This invention is particularly applicable to advertising or like 'signssince the text of the 40 sign'm'aybe easily changed when desired. It is also applicable to boundary lights for aerodromes,

race tracks and the likefsince the structure including the discharge tube is not secured in any Y way; and, therefore, is easily displaced if hit by 45 any'aeroplane or other moving object.

applying the invention to "boundary "lights,

one or more conductors fed 'from..a high frequency electric source are embedded in insulati g material,-.sa'id insulating materiarand conductor 50 or conductors forming a single structure which or near its bottom surface and arranged to be electrostatically coupled to one or more of the embedded conductors fed from the high frequency source. The base and tube form a movable structure which is preferably of such a shape as to I standstably on the insulating layer which covers the embeddedconductors but it is not secured in any way and can. therefore, be easily displaced if hit-by a moving object. The high frequency generator may bearranged in a cavity in the round. I

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference will now-bemade, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which:- t

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one form of the invention employing electrostatic coupling and partly cut away to show the construction.

Fig. 2 shows a section through thesupportfng structure and the structure comprising the discharge tube.

Fig. 3 shows a modified detail.

Fig. 4 shows the invention applied to boundary lights for aerodromes.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing which show one embodiment of the invention applied to an advertising sign or like device, the structure having conductors connected to the high .frequencysource, is constituted by a stand having two upright supports I, 2, to the top of which is connected asheet of glass 3 which carries a strip of insulatingmaterial having two parallel conducting bars of metal 5 and, 6 embedded therein and spaced apart. The conductors. are fed from the high frequency source I by conductors 8, 9 which pass up the respective supporting legs I, 2 and connect respectively with the conducting bars 5, 5. Theupper surface of the strip of insulating material 4 is covered with another layer of insulating material ill, such as by a strip of insulating tape or by painting with insulating varnish. H

, The .luminoustubes I l -in the form of letters, symbols or other:- desired shape 7 are each carried by a base. rpartiil form a movable. structure. Embedded in ,the;base :.part are two conducting bars i3,v I}; which are spaced apart at approximatelyjthe, same distance, as the parallel ,bars'. 5 and 6. The lower surface of the base. l1 and'the bars I3, are covered witha layer-of insulating material i5. such as-a strip. of insulating tape-or by painting with insulating varnish. ,-The con- .ducing bars, 18. are respectively, connected to the 'met allic sockets. l6',"i1 in to which the ends of the luminous discharge tube H are inserted and 5 supported in a vertical position. By positioning the movable structure upon the fixed structure as shown, the conductors in the base part I! and in the strip of insulating material 4 are sub- It will be readily understood that by means of the invention any number of luminous discharge tubes, each supported in a movable base part, may-be placed upon the stand and illuminated,

whereby it is possible to interchange the wording of the sign in a simple and easy fashion. The discharge tubes illustrated in the drawing have no internal electrodes, the sockets I'I constituting the electrodes of the tube. Internal electrodes may, however, be provided if desired.

Instead of arranging two conductor bars in the stand a single bar may be used since it is possible. when using high frequency current, to illuminate the tubes by merely applying the current thereto at one point. In other alternative arrangements more than two bars may be used in the stand and/or in the base part.

The coupling capacity between the conductors in the stand and the conductors in the .tube bases may be made different for different tubes so as to give them the high. frequency supply appropriate to the different characteristics (for "example-"size of tumor-nature of gasfilling) of the different tubes. For example, the thickness part thereof which contains the bars to which 'high frequency current is'supplied, and also the bases of the tubes or the parts thereof which contain the conductors, by metal in order to screen the high frequency conductors andthus prevent them from interfering withlocal radio reception. One method of effecting thisscreen- 'ing is shown in- Fig. 3 in which the tube supporting base part I! is surrounded by a. metal screen 2| except at its underneath surface, and the stand 4 is also enclosed by a metallic screen If except for its upper surface. Preferably, the screen 2| makes electrical contact with the screen 20 when'thebase part is stood upon the stand. The screen or screens are preferably earthed. ltnwill be understood that various modificatloiis may be made. For example, the high frequency generator may be arranged to form a support forthe insulating strip'or the strip may be arranged at the upper surface of a box or table which contains the high frequency generatonthe whole box preferably being madeof metal or otherwise'- .screened. Further, clips" or other means .may be provided for holding the baseso as to support an ordinary article of commerce to which, for example, the luminous sign relates.

The invention is also applicable to boundary lights for aerodromes, race tracks and the like and one embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 4.. The line SI indicates the ground level ;and a cavity II is formed in the ground and in 'it a high frequency generator 32 is housed and connected to feed two conductors 33, 34 supported in insulating material near the'top of the cavity and covered with a thin layer of insulating material",-

the top surface of which is approximately level with the ground surface.

The boundary lights to be fed from the high frequency generator consist of one or more luminous tubes supported in a base 36, preferably of insulating material, and arranged to be fed from conductors 31, 38 situated at or near the bottom surface of the base and disposed so that they may be brought into register with the con- A cover 4| may-be secured to the tube supporting base and preferably consists of some transparent material with reinforcement, for example wire mesh. The covers may be coloured, for example in rings, to =-give a distinctive appearance in day light.

The base for the discharge tube is not secured in any way to the apparatus containedin the cavity and it is, therefore, easily displaced .if hit by an aeroplane or 'other moving object.

' Means are preferably provided, however, to locate the tube base upon the insulating layer ,A plurality of cavities may be provided around switch, or a control switch arranged to supply the generators alternatively or in. any desired sequence. According to an alternative embodiment whereina plurality of boundary lights are employed these may be fed and/or controlled from a common high frequency source.

The apparatus arranged in the cavity and the tube supporting bases may be metallically screened in a manner similar to that described with reference to Fig; 3. The screens are preferably earthed and also if the reinforcement in the cover for'the luminous tube is of metal, this may also be earthed. preferably through conductors provided in the base and contacting with earthed conductors provided in the cavity.

Instead of electrostatically coupling the conductors inone structure to the conductors in the other structure as has been described, they may be galvanicall'y connected, by arranging the con.- l

ductors to make metallic contact when'the two structures are brought together. The conductors to said conductors, abase part movable relative to.

said member, a luminous electric discharge tube supported by said base part, two conductors extending in substantially parallel directions adjacent the under surface of said base part and connected. to feed said luminous dischargetube, the

whole being so arranged that when the base part and member are placed together the conductors in said base part are electrostatically coupled with the conductors in the member whereby the high frequency current is transferred to feed the luminous discharge tube.

2; A signcomprising a member, at least one conductor arranged along the length and adjacent the upper surface of said member,'a layer of V insulating material covering said conductor, a

high frequency generator connected to supply high frequency current to said conductor, a plurality of base parts each supporting a luminous electric discharge tube, and at least one conductor arranged along the lower surface of each of said base parts and connected to feed the associated discharge tube, the whole being so arranged that the base partsmay be interchangeably arranged one behind the other adjacent the member whereby the high frequency current is transferred from the conductor in the member to the conductors in the base parts and the several discharge tubes are illuminated simultaneously.

3. A sign comprising a member, at least one conductor arranged along the length and adja-- cent the upper surface of said member, a high frequency generator connected to supply high frequency current to said conductor, a plurality of base parts each supporting a luminous electric discharge tube, at.least one conductor arranged along the lower surface of each of said base parts and connected to feed the associated discharge tube, and metallic screens shielding the cond'tc-l tive parts to which high frequency current is red,

the whole being so arranged that the base parts may be interchangeably arranged one behind the other adjacent the member whereby the high frein the member to the conductors in the base parts and the several discharge. tubes are illuminated simultaneously.

4. A sign comprising a member, at least one conductor arranged along the length and adja cent the upper surface of said meinberya layer of insulating material covering said conductor,

- a high frequency generator connected to supply high frequency current to said conductor, a plu- "quency current is transferred from the conductor rality of base parts each supporting a luminous electric discharge tube, at least one conductor arranged along the lower surface of each of said base parts and-connected to feed the associated discharge tube, metallic. screens shielding the conductive parts to which high frequency current is fed, and an earthing connection to said metallic screens, the whole being soarranged that the base parts may be interchangeably arranged one behind the other adjacent the member whereby the high frequency current is transferred from the conductor in the member to the conductors in the base parts and the several discharge tubes are illuminated simultaneously.

5. A sign comprising a structure, at least one conductor arranged in said structure, a high fre-' quency generator, means for feeding the high frequency current to said conductor in said structure, a second structure adapted to rest on said first structure when in the operative relation and to be displaceable therefrom upon impact by mov-v ing objects, a luminous electric discharge tube supported by said second structure, and at least one conductor arranged in said second structure and. arranged to feed current to the luminous discharge tube, the whole being so arranged that when the structures are arranged in close proximity to one another the high frequency current is electrostatically transferred from theconductor in the first structure to the conductor in the second structure to illuminate the electric discharge tube. 1

JosnPH-Fonon. 

